In the shadow of a report published yesterday, which showed that manufacturing in the UK grew at its slowest rate in seven months, a survey has indicated that companies are banking on exports to grow their business over the next three months.

Research by courier DHL Express shows that 46 per cent of small firms expect demand for their exports to grow to the end of June. And the Office for National Statistics confirmed that exports have grown by 11.5 per cent in the past year.

Phil Couchman, chief executive officer of DHL Express UK and Ireland, says: “It's very promising to see that UK businesses are confident about their future in this area.”

Almost half of manufacturing exporters expect exports to grow and see this demand coming from the US, France and Germany respectively. The picture for imports is also solid. In 2010, 29 per cent of manufacturing importers increased imports and 32 per cent expect to import more over the next three months.

The weak pound is also welcomed by businesses keen to boost exports, while nearly 60 per cent believe that the 2012 Olympics and the increased focus on the UK as a result will create a greater demand for British goods in the run-up to the event.

While the insights from businesses revealed an overall positive outlook for UK plc internationally, 65 per cent of businesses polled believe that keeping interest rates low is key to economic growth.

They are likely to get their wish, as it is widely expected for the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to keep the rate where it is when the committee meets to decide tomorrow. In fact, analysts are now predicting no rise until at least the Autumn.

Exports are seen as key to Britain's economic growth, with 80 per cent of the firms surveyed calling on the government to give incentives to manufacturers to boost trade.

Funding for Business Link is due to end in November and the move has sparked fears that the Government will risk failing start-ups through lack of support and guidance.

The departing head of the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies, George Derbyshire, believes that scrapping the business advisory service could result in the Government’s flagship social reforms being undermined as funding and support for enterprise will be deemed inadequate.

David Cameron has previously spoken of his goal to use enterprise in order to improve areas of the country that are dependent on public spending, which have been effected by the public spending cuts. However, with the Government putting an end to Business Link, Mr Derbyshire believes that this goal will be hindered.

Mr Derbyshire says Business Link is “vital for a proportion of the population” and that the dramatic cuts the service were driven by “financial reasons” rather than long-term thinking.

George Derbyshire said: “Business Link is regarded as an expensive solution. I would like to think in a different financial environment we would be not be quite so reliant on the volunteer model as we are now. Volunteers don’t come for free.”

He added: “There are people who have the confidence and the skills to start up themselves and make a success of their business, and the confidence and skills to access online resources, and there are those that have access to friends and colleagues who can help them. But there is a substantial proportion that do need face-to-face help to build up their confidence and acquire skills and knowledge.”

Business Link costs £190m a year to operate and is used by around a third of all businesses. The Conservatives decided in Opposition that they would scrap Business Link, and the Coalition has now implemented those plans. Contracts will be terminated in November and the regional development agencies will close in 2012.

So where can start-ups go for guidance? Start-ups searching for help will be directed to the Business Link website, which currently attracts around 1.6 million visits a month. Time will tell if this is sufficient support for start-ups…